


by any other name

by mitch23k



Category: Romea and Juliet, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare, SHAKESPEARE William - Works
Genre: F/F, M/M, romeo is a butch lesbian and i love life, the benvolio is very minor tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-13 15:32:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12987054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitch23k/pseuds/mitch23k
Summary: Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where sin was commited. But who is the guilty? The parents, or the children? Those who thought they knew better, or those who did?





	1. a smoke made of lover's sighs

The true nature of the hatred was never recorded. One day the Capulets and Montagues were allies and the next they were enemies. No one ever was told of the brothers-in-arms who loved one another, no one ever saw them together, no one ever heard the old man Montague screaming at the boys, beating them bloody, vowing worse if he ever stumbled upon such an act again. No one noted the way the young Montague heir threw the other boy’s arms off of him and cried that he had done this, he had made him this way, he would never forgive this slight. No one saw him stalk off sobbing but the young Capulet who could do nothing.

And when the boys became men and married woman, and when the men became lords and warred with each other, citizens might wonder why the two had grown apart, but no scholar would ever assume the truth. That two boys loved each other and minor tragedy occurred because of their parents’ views on them.

Ironic then, that a major tragedy occurred because those men inherited their father’s hating hearts.


	2. i hate the word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tybalt can deny how he feels all his life, but benvolio won't let the capulet boy's hatred hurt him

Tybalt knocks swords with Benvolio, and Ben means that in the most innocent of ways. As he is spit upon, he hopes Mercutio doesn’t stumble across this most ignoble of brawls. His paramour has always been quick to anger, especially the kind of anger the eldest Capulet boy is expressing. 

As he fights, he knows it isn’t just in defense of the foolish servants cowering behind him, but for who he is and who he loves. Though his uncle will never understand that. And Tybalt's uncle will never realize that the reason his nephew is always angry might have something to do with the fact that he can never be who he truly wants to be. 

Tybalt can talk and fight and fence like an Italian all he likes, but Benvolio will never back down in face of such a debate.


	3. teach me how i should forget to think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> two cousins realize they have something in common

Romeo’s breath stutters as she confesses to her cousin. “In sadness, cousin, I...I do love a woman.”

The quick whish of a hand ran through short hair, the squeak of boots knocking together, the sounds of a nervous confession.

Benvolio is quiet for a moment. And then, in a familial sort of way, he smiles knowingly. “I aimed so near when I supposed you loved,” he admits, grabbing her hand and squeezing.

For the first time in days, a smile breaks out on a certain young Montague’s face.

“A right fair mark!” she barks out in joy, and the cousins laugh together.


	4. jove laughs

Her nurse knows her age unto an hour, and Juliet knows this, and Juliet also knows her true mother is probably fuzzy on how many years her only daughter had walked this Earth.

That same reason is why the nurse knows why Juliet denies any ideas of loving Paris, of being able to love Paris, of being able to love any man, and why her mother does not. Her mother bids her try to love him, and Juliet, the good daughter, obliges. Even while her mind is begging her to make a nervous confession to end this torture.

“Go girl,” her nurse says. Lady Capulet is still in hearing range, Juliet knows, and understands what is meant to be said. “Seek happy days to happy nights!”

Juliet wishes she could.

**Author's Note:**

> alternatively titled "give me my sin again." the first time i read r+j it literally only made sense if romeo was a butch lesbian, and that's literally all i've thought of for two years, so, ta-da. 
> 
> @shakespeare come back from the dead and admit that half your shit is about being gay, u coward


End file.
